Fruit dicing machine



Filed July 29, 1935 Iwan TM I Brum@ Me rauh l Arran/Vey Dec. 1, 1936. B, WE|RAUCH 2,062,689

FRUIT DICING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 In/ver/Ton l 'Arvmfveg yDec. l, 1936. B WEjAUCH 2,062,689

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FRUIT DICING' MACHINE Filed July 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INvc/v-ron B ru-nowerauch A'Tramveg Patented Dec, 1,v l1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRUIT DICING MACHINE Brno Weirauch, Brunswick, Germany,

assigner Application July 29, 1935, Serial No. 33,792

In Germany June 4, 1934 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for cutting to pieces carrots, beets and turnips and other bulby fruits, this improved machine rendering it possible to cut the fruits concerned into strips or cubes without levigating or comminuting them so that losses are obviated. The machine is, besides, extraordinarily efficient, in that it operates at the same time cn the entire circumference of a rotary cutting device.

My invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front-view of a constructional form of the improved machine, Figure 2 is a section in the plane 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Figure 3 is a section in the plane 3,-3 of Fig. 2. Figures 4 and 5 show details drawn to a larger scale. Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 and shows a modied construction-a1 form, Figure 7 is a sectionin the plane 1--1 of Fig. 6, Figure 8 a perspective representation of a detail forming part of ysaid other constructional form, and Figure 9 is a modication of the driving gearing shown in the righthand half of Fig. 6.

In the drawings, I1 denotes a foundation plate I2 la standard, and I3 an angular ring, these members constituting the frame of the machine. Within said ring is Ia. tubular sheetmetal member 2 which extends downwardly and serves as delivery member for the material cut into pieces. On the top of said ring I3 is fastened a hood-like covering disk 4 by means of screws 3 and in the centre portion of said disk is an aperture 5 through which passes a shaft 6; laterally therefrom a slot 1 is provided in said disk. On the said disk is fastened by means of screws 9 a casting 8 constituting a bearing or, more precisely, two bearings I0 and II for a horizontal shaft I2, two bearings I3 for said shaft 6, and two more bearings I4 for a countershaft I5. Above the slot 1 is fastened by means of screws I1 a ldrum-shaped casing I6 which has an aperture located just above the slot 1 and being correspondingly shaped. The casing I6 encloses a centrifugal wheel I8 provided with four centrifugal blades I9. Said wheel I8 is affixed to the hub of a sleeve 2l firmly keyed to the shaft I2. This shaft which is rotatably supported in the bearings I0 and II is provided at its other end with a loose pulley and a fast pulley 22 and 23. On the other side of the casing 2 is a feed hopper 24 through which the material to be cut into pieces is introduced into themachine.

On the one side of the slot 1 is a knife 25 affixed to the hood-shapedV covering disk 4 by means of Screws 26 which can be adjusted in longitudinal slots 21 of said disk 4. The centrifugal wheel I8 is so arranged in the interior 44 of the casing I 6 that it is closely adjacent to the knife 25, there being left only a very narrow gap, but from that place the casing I 6 enlarges essentially in the form of a spiral of low pitch along the circumference of the entire casing to the other end of the slot 1.

If carrots, beets or turnips or the like are introduced into the casing I6 through the hopper 24 and if the centrifugal wheel I8 is set in motion, the respective material is cut into disks by means of the knives, the disks leaving then the casing in downward direction. If strips are to be l5 cut a specially designed cutting device (which will presently be described) is secured to the shaft 6 which is rotated from the shaft I2 by the intermediary of the bevel-wheels 28 and 29, the countershaft I5 and the spur-wheels 30 and 3|. Said cutting device consists of a disk 32 rmly aixed to the shaft `6 by means of a nut 33. Between the covering disk 4 and the just-mentioned disk 32 so much space is left that a spirally-shaped stationary abutment disk 34 can bc arranged in the said disk 4.

At the circumference of the disk 32 is an angular ring 35 ailixed by screws; this ring bears in radial slots 3B a large number of wedge-shaped knives 31. 'Ihe upper ends of these knives extend into a ring 38 which forms, together with `the ring. 35, the rotary set of cutting knives, or the rotary cutting device respectively. 'I'he `shape of the wedge-shaped knives 31 in such that the channels 39 left between them neither become narrower nor larger in exterior direction.

The disks into which the carrots or other bulby fruits have been cut and which leave the covering disk 1 through the slot 1 get into the cutting .Space which is bounded at its top by said disk 4, at its bottom by the rotating disk 32, at its interior circumference by the abutment disk 34 and at its outer circumference by the rotating set of knives of the rotary cutting device. The disks obtained from the turnips etc. are pressed outwardly in radial direction in the space 40 which becomes gradually narrower, as shown in Fig. 4, the abutment disk leading the turnip disks towards and against the knives 31 which cut them into strips.

If the strips are to be further cut into cubes which operation is known as dicing, knives 4I, Figs. 3 and 4, which are arranged tangentially and counter to the direction of rotation of the disk are provided at the outer circumference of the set CAB of knives 81. 4|", at rightI angles with respect to the same, and said straps serve at the same time for fastening the knives 4| to the lower surface of the hoodshaped covering disk by means of screws 43 setv in holes in an annulus fast to said disk 4.

The cubes obtained by the further cutting of the strips fall down through the tubular sheetmetal member' 2, e. g.. into a basket. chest or the like placed upon the foundation plate In the constructional form illustrated in Pigs. 6-8 there is likewise a cutting device transforming the turnips, etc., into disks butin contrast to the first described constructional form the additional device transforming the disks into strips and into cubes is arranged not horizontally, but vertically whereby the driving members are correspondingly otherwise designed.

On the horizontal shaft |21 which is rotatably supported in the bearings |01 and ||1 and bears the loose pulley and the fast pulley 221 and 231, and is nlrmly connected with the centrifugal disk |81 by the intermediary of a sleeve 2li. keyed to said shaft. is a cog-wheel 45 which is likewise keyed to the said shaft and meshes with another cog-wheel 46. This wheel is keyed to a shaft 4: arranged parallel with respect to the shaft |21 and supported in the bearings 48 and 49. Keyed to the front end of the shaft 41 is a drum il bearing -a ring 351 secured to it by means of screws 5|, and having radial slots into which the radially disposed wedge-shaped knives are inserted. The other ends of these knives extend into slots of a ring 301 and form,togetherwiththejustmentioned other parts, the rotary knife set by which the disks obtained from the tm'nips, etc., are further cutI into strips. These strips may then be again further cut, into cubes, by knives 4|1 arranged radially at the rotary knife set. The knives 4|1 are connected with straps 4h, withthe aid of which, and by means of screws 431, they are amxed to a casing shown perspectively in Fig. 8. This casing 52 encloses the drum Bil which bears the set of knives, i. e. the rotary cutting device, and an abutment member 341 by means of which the cutting space 441 is gradually reduced in length axially of the knife wheel from the place where the disks enter' said space. Owing thereto, the cutting space 401 is largest at the delivery end of the preliminary cutting device and is reduced in length in the direction of rotation of the drum I3, the reduction taking place gradually. In proximity to the place where the disks enter, said space is reduced so much that only a narrow gap remains at the rotary set of knives.

There are on the casing two lateral straps 521 and 2z with the aid of which the casing 52 has secured to it the casing |61 by means of screws 15, the casing 52 being integral with the frame 5I'. The set of knives is covered exteriorly with a hood I4 which is provided with a lower delivery opening l5. The material here leaving the hood passes to a shaking conveyor 58 attached to swinging arms 51 and 5I hinged to angle irons i! provided at both sides of the frame. Said conveyor is actuated by a connecting rod SII ellin a yoke 4| connected with the said conveyor. Said crank rod is furthermore hinged to c. connecting arm t2 afilxed to a shaft 63. This shaft is provided with a bevel-wheel 64 which meshes with another bevel-wheel 6? keyed to a shaft 60 supported in the bearing 61 and carrying a sprocket 68 connected with another sprocket 10 by means of a chain 59. The wheel 10 is firmly connected with Said knives il are adlxed to straps d the hub of the cog-wheel 40 and is, therefore, moved together with the saine.

Insteadofmakinguse ofapulley,suchas2li. for driving the machine illustrated in Figs. 6-8 an electromotor 1| may be employed which is located upon a base plate-120i the frame |81 and drives a wedge-pulley 14 by means ofa wedge-belt 13. In this constructional form the rotary motion of the shaft 411 is transmitted to the preliminary cutting device by the intermediary of the cogwneels such as those shown at 4i and 4I (Fig. 6) which turn the shaft |21.

I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the constructional forms shown and described merely by way of example. There are. in the arrangements and combinations of parts. various departures possible which do not also constitute departures from the invention. It is,l for instance. possible to render the abutment member mentioned and, may be, the knife practically contacting with the rotary set of mives and subdividing the strips into cubes. rotary and to render said set of knives stationary whereby the same effect will be obtained. My invention and the claims are to cover also this modication.

I claim:

i. In a machine for cutting up bulbous vegetables and the like, means for cutting an article ,K

into relatively thin slabs in a series of successive operations, and means positioned to'receive each such slab and cut it into narrow strips transversely of the slab. said means comprising a support. a circular series of knives arranged about said support. a cam of low pitch arranged to move seid slabs slowly through said series of kniv, and means arranged to cut they emerge from said series of knives.

2. In a machine for cutting up bulbous vegetables and the like, a horizontal knife. means for moving articles past said knife to cut slabs therefrom, a disk below said knife. said disk rotating on a vertical axis and being positioned to receive the slabs as they fall from said knife. means on said disk for 'cutting the slabs crosswise into strips, means for moving the slabs radially of the disk during such cutting operation, and xed cutters located tangentialLv of the disk for cutting the strips into lengths.

3. In a machine for cutting up bulbous vegetables and the like, a circular table, radial knives on said table, means for supplying articles to the table within the series of knives. means for forcing .the articles radially outward over said knives for cutting them into strips, said means comprising a cam of low-pitch extending substansaid strips crosswise astially around the circumference of the table, said cam and table being relatively rotatable, and a piurality of cutters arranged about said table for cutting the emerging strips crowise into short lengths. l

4. In a machine of the character described, a cn'cular table, radial knives on said table adiacent its cuter margin, means for cutting slabs from root vegetables and the like and feeding them to said table in horizontal position, and an eccentric device positioned to feed said slabs outwerd over said knives, said table and said eccen- .V

tric device being mounted for relative rotation.

5. In a machine of the character described. a circular table, radial knives on said table adjacent its outer margin. means for feeding slabs to said table, and an eccentric device positioned to feed said slabs outward over said knives, said table and said eccentric device being mounted for relative rotation. said knives being wedgeshaped and so designed that the channels between them are of uniform cross-sectional area.

6. In a machine for cutting up bulbous vegetables and the like, a rotary table, radial knives on said table, means for supplying articles to said table within the series of* knives, means for forcing the articles radially outward over said knives for cutting them into strips, and cutting means arranged tangentially of said table, for cutting said strips into shorter lengths.

'7. In a machine for cutting up bulbous vegetables and the like, means for slicing such articles into horizontally positioned slabs by a series of operations each removing only one slab from an article, arotary table positioned to receivethe slabs directly from such slicing means, means for moving all the slabs in the same horizontal plane while cuttingethem into strips, and means for cutting the strips into shorter lengths while still maintaining them in the same horizontal plane. l

8. In -a device of the character described, a

circular series of cutters, an article supporting device, means for rotating the cutters and the supporting device, a stationary curved wall substantially coextensive with the series of cutters,

said wall being arranged .to bear against such articles and to force them progressively toward said cutters during the rotation of said cutters into short lengths the strips formed by said cutters. l

9. In a devicev of the character described, a l

and supporting device, and means for cutting the strips formed by said cutters as they emerge 20 from said ring.

- BRNo mation. 

